Computer vs. reading glasses and astigmatism

[jaylindell]

I have received 4 different prescriptions from 3 different doctors, all trying to replace a 6 year-old pair of reading glasses with computer glasses. The astigmatism is in my left eye had gotten slightly worse since six years ago. The first doctor said I could keep using them if they felt okay. But because there WAS increased blurriness, and because I wanted new frames, he wrote me a prescription for computer glasses this time.

I had the glasses made. But they came back with left eye-only distortion (trapezoidal) and slight blurriness that colored the overall vision with a trapezoidal feel. I have since tried to have that corrected by another doctor in the practice and one other new doctor who has tried twice. All have had remained trapezoidal and slightly blurry in the left eye (each pair was verified that the Rx was correctly executed). Everything from "a sensitivity to astigmatism correction" to using a custom (rather than stock) glass has been offered as a possible cause. Yet i sit here with my original pair of reading glasses because, from Day 1, they worked and still offer the most acceptable comfortable vision experience.

I was struck by the second doctor's comment to me that I should keep using the latest pair in the hopes that my eyes will get used to them."Sometimes, some people have a special sensitivity or situation that we can't correct for."

Two things struck me:

1. Is that true? That correction for astigmatism is best-effort, or should a patient fully expect that a pair of prescription glasses will fully resolve the astigmatism (perhaps with the help of a skilled and patient of the doctor)?

2. Might the change from reading to computer glasses be a factor in that trapezoidal distortion? (Doing the one eye at a time test with my reading glasses, I see in the left eye the same amount of blur as in the newer pairs...just no trapezoidal distortion.)

It has been three months of trying new doctors, waiting for new pairs. Very frustrating. Any thoughts?

[JohnHaganMD]

First of all reading glasses and computer glasses are two entirely different things.  At your age reading glasses would not work for computer and vice versa.  Second you said yourself your posting the left eye was blurry even with your old glasses.   The primary glasses prescription is for distance (20 ft or 6 meter)   for computer or reading a variable amount of focusing power is added onto the distance RX.   These doctors you've seen make their living prescribing glasses. If  4 attempts don't make the LE clear then I would strongly suspect something is wrong with the eye not their glasses Rxs.  I suggest you see an eye MD ophthalmologist, have a medical dilated exam, have a macular OCT test.   You may have early cataract formation or macular degeneration.